Lotus

Chapter 12. Rising

Dear Master Tigress,

I'm very much pleased with your progress with Lotus. The fact you feel so safe in the Panda Village is all I can ask for. 
Unfortunately, despite my happiness for you settling in the Panda Village, I'm afraid I need you to make a premature farewell. Another mission that is required for you to come to the Valley of Peace. Unbecoming circumstances occurred and now, the thousand year prophecy of the Dragon Warrior must be fulfilled. There is a tournament happening at the Jade Palace and we need all of Shifu's students at attention.
I do recommend bringing this Lotus fellow of yours with you. It would be nice to meet the descendant of my only chi student. And I have a good feeling that there is room for greatness for him.
I suggest you leave the dawn after reading this, for the sake of you coming home as soon as possible. 

Take care, my student.

Sincerely, Oogway.

P.S, tell Lotus I said hello as well. He seems like a delight!

~~~~

The feline and the ursine read the letter together. Tigress knew it was urgent since the letter blew in through a mirage of lotus petals and only Oogway would ever be associated with that, but she didn't know it was this serious. She still wondered the logic behind the dancing lotuses and how they conveniently blew to places they exactly needed to be.

"Whoa! Oogway knows who I am!? AND HE WANTS ME TO COME WITH YOU! EEEEEE! I gotta pack my bags as soon as possible!" The panda ecstatically claimed, ready to run off his room to pack his belongings, before he was suddenly pulled back by his hood and slammed to the ground on his back. A quite common thing Tigress did to grab his attention. "AUGH! Oof!" He exclaimed as the tiger stood over him, unimpressed. 

"Slow down, 'Master Cheetah'," She sarcastically called before kneeling down in front of Lotus' fallen form. "I know you're excited, but I hope you're not forgetting the one problem with you leaving."

Lotus pouted. "I promise I won't pack up ALL my posters!"

Tigress shook your head. "That's not what I meant. Don't you remember the one thing your father told you your entire life?"

After a moment of realisation, Lotus sighed disappointingly and sat himself up, albeit with a bit of struggle. "That's right... no one gets in..."

"Or gets out." Tigress rose back up to her feet and helped her companion up as well. Meanwhile he groaned in minor frustration. "How are we supposed to convince my dad of all people that I have to leave the village? I never left the village before! Let alone have him agree to it..." He crossed his arms and muttered. 

The feline placed a comforting paw on his shoulder. "We'll figure it out. If he was willing to accept an outsider like me, I'm sure he'll be more open to letting you leave the village, especially if it's from the word of Oogway himself." She took her paw off the panda's shoulder and brought it to her chin in contemplation.

"I think."

Her best efforts to mutter those words under her breath were met in vain as Lotus gulped nervously. "You THINK?" Tigress quickly caught her mistake as her ursine companion started to shake in panic. "Don't worry. We'll just talk to Li Shan tonight at the village square for dinner."

Slowly but surely, Lotus nodded. "Fair enough. I mean at least it won't give him a chance to murder me on the spot with witnesses around—"

"Lotus." 

"Okay, okay! He's probably NOT going to kill me!" The panda chuckled lightheartedly, still keeping the 'probably' in mind. "I'm still going to try and dress nicely, though."